Yet again, the international community is talking about Palestine. Unfortunately, Palestinians are remembered only when they react to and lawfully resist Israel’s colonial power within their limited resources. In the interceding years, when their oppression continues unabated, only a few remember them. This kind of amnesia is reflected in the fact that in the current discourse in the media newsrooms, the history of the Palestinian people seems to have begun only on 7th October 2023, not many centuries ago.

During the recent onslaught on Palestine, several Western leaders, sports persons, entertainment industries and celebrities were swift to speak in defense of Israel. Even PM Modi was prompt in defending Israel. None of these ever bothered to sympathise with the Palestinians who have been under attack in their own lands for more than 75 years. Just before the recent retaliation Israel killed 200 Palestinians and the world did not utter a word.

The tyranny of Israel extends far beyond any justification of security and self-defence. The media never shows anything regarding the daily killing of Palestinians, brutal assaults on children, the ongoing blockade that has destroyed the people of Gaza, abusive detentions of the Palestinians, settler-colonialism, the apartheid policy of the occupiers, and all their untold crimes against humanity. The dire socio-economic conditions of the besieged Palestinians are never discussed. However in the wake of the recent Palestinian resistance, the world sprang to declare them terrorists and called for their mass murder. Using these justifications and the moulding of public opinion, Israel dropped 6000 bombs on Gaza so far which has a population of 2.2 million in an area of mere 365 square kilometres.

Social media is flooded with organised fake news and misinformation so that the dehumanisation of Palestinians can be normalised in the minds of the general public. The media has thus effectively managed to portray Israel and Zionists as the real victims.

Naom Chomsky in his article titled “The Assault on Gaza” wrote about an an old man in Gaza who held a placard that read “You take my water, burn my olive trees, destroy my house, take my job, steal my land, imprison my father, kill my mother, bombard my country, starve us all, humiliate us all, but I am to blame: I shot a rocket back.”

Aura’s November issue sheds light in detail on the ongoing Palestinian catastrophe along with its intriguing regular columns and contemporary discussions.

The conflict will not end without addressing the root cause – the brutal colonisers’ illegal occupation of the Palestinian lands. The world should remember that the brave Palestinians are fighting for their liberation and are resisting a regime which is a nuclear power and has a military power that is considered one of the 20 most powerful militaries in the world.